


Pea Soup

by raspberry_rose



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Alternate Universe - homeless shelter, First Meetings, Fluff, Inspired by a Tumblr Prompt, M/M, Remus volunteers at a homeless shelter, Sirius has just been kicked out by his parents, as always i wrote this instead of sleeping, i think, no beta we die like idiots who are too socially awkward to ask people for help, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 20:21:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30077805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raspberry_rose/pseuds/raspberry_rose
Summary: Inspired bya tumblr prompt. Sirius got kicked out and is now at a homeless shelter, and Remus is working there serving food.
Relationships: Arthur Weasley/Molly Weasley, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Remus Lupin/Sirius Black
Comments: 11
Kudos: 41





	Pea Soup

**Author's Note:**

> content warnings for mentions of hypothermia, homelessness and food

"Remus?" a voice called from the kitchens. 

Remus, who was collecting rubbish in the room next over, called back, "Yes?"

"Could you come over here for a second?"

Remus stuffed the trash he'd collected throughout the house in the bin, and walked into the kitchen.  
"What'd you need help with, Molly?"

Molly, who was running around frantically, stirring soup one second and cutting carrots the other, pointed at a stack of bowls in the corner on the counter next to where Remus was standing.  
"New kid just arrived. He seems to be around your age, maybe a little older or younger, I can’t really tell. Could you please fill a bowl with soup and bring it over to him?" Molly adjusted the oven timer, muttering darkly. "God knows he needs it."

Remus nodded.  
"'Course." He grabbed a bowl and filled it with the thick green soup that simmered softly in the huge metal stockpot on the stove. _Broccoli?_

As if reading his mind, Molly said, "Pea soup." She finished chopping up some carrots and scattered the pieces on a large baking tray. "He's in room seven." Remus nodded, and she ruffled his hair. "Thank you, you’re a dear."

Remus made his way over to room sever, careful not to spill soup on himself or anyone running through the building, which meant he had four times he almost tripped, two doors that were slammed into his face that he was barely able to avoid, and three near-collisions—one of which was with the Tommy, the street cat that somehow kept finding its way into the building, no matter how many times he was locked out. Finally, he made it to the room without as much as a drop of spilt soup. 

He knocked on the door.  
"Can I come in?"

It took a moment, but finally Remus heard a muffled, grumbling, "come in," and he opened the door. Remus almost spilt the soup on himself—which would have been such a shame, after everything they’d been through—when he saw the guy who was sitting on the right bunk bed, wrapped in a blanket and shivering from the cold.

The guy had raven-black hair that reached past his shoulders, but it seemed tangled, and Remus was fairly sure he could see a spider that had made its nest in one of the knots. He was wrapped up in a coat Remus recognised as Arthur's—he must've been really badly dressed for the weather if Arthur had lent him his winter coat.

But the most startling thing was his eyes—a pale silver colour that seemed to stare into his soul. They had a certain kind of… _unsettlingness,_ like the eyes of someone who has seen everything. 

_Don't stand here ogling at this boy,_ Remus scolded himself. _He's clearly hypothermic, look at him shivering! Help him for God's sake._

Remus cleared his throat.  
"Uhm… I… have soup. For you." He reached across the small room and gave Sirius the bowl. _Why were his hands shaking?_

The boy accepted the bowl gratefully.  
"Thank you so much." He drank the soup hastily, as if he hadn’t eaten in days and he was afraid that if he didn’t eat fast enough, someone would steal his food.

Meanwhile, Remus was staring at the boy, lost in thought. He had such a posh accent, he must be well-off. How did he end up on the streets? And how long had he been there? _More than a few days, at least,_ Remus guessed. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in three days, which was entirely possible. But it wasn’t Remus's place to ask those questions. For now, his job was to help this boy, whether that was what Molly had asked him to do or not—it simply felt like the right thing to do.

The raven-haired boy was looking embarrassedly at how quickly he'd drunk the soup.

Remus smiled softly.  
"Don’t worry about it," he reassured him. "We have enough.”

The boy was looking down awkwardly at the floor. Remus figured that he needed to know what he could help with to actually help the boy, so he sat down on the other bed.  
"What can I help with?"

The boy looked up.  
"Huh?"

Remus mentally scolded himself. _Introduce yourself first, dimwit. He doesn’t even know your name and one of the first things you say to him is 'what can I help with.' Way to be blunt._  
"Sorry, I’ll introduce myself first." Remus extended a hand. "Remus Lupin."

Sirius eyed the hand in front of him, before gripping it carefully and shaking it.  
"Sirius."

"Just Sirius?"

"Just Sirius."

Remus smiled at the boy. _Sirius,_ he tasted the name on his tongue. _Peculiar name. But then again, this seemed to be a peculiar boy._  
"I think we can sit here for a while longer, but I don’t think a second-grade tell-everyone-your-name-and-one-interesting-fact-about-yourself-round is gonna help anyone or anything a lot." Remus's heart made a little jump as Sirius's mouth curved a little bit. "We have a shower here. I propose I get you a towel and stuff so you can get cleaned up.”

Remus doubted Molly would mind. She'd probably even adopt the kid if given the chance, like she always wanted to do with any children that came to the shelter. She and Arthur had adopted a little boy called Bill last year. They couldn’t get children themselves, but Molly and Arthur were cut out to be parents, and Remus was glad that they had finally succeeded in starting a family, which had always been their dream.

Remus looked at the boy in front of him, who was eying him carefully, unsure whether he could trust Remus or not. Finally, he agreed, and as Remus walked him through the building to get him to the showers, he noticed he wasn't shivering anymore.

That afternoon, when Sirius had cleaned himself up and had gotten fresh clothes Remus had lent him, Remus asked a question while helping him untangle his hair in the bathroom.  
"What do you say about we get to know each other better? I'm here each weekend and on Wednesdays, and I could help you with, y'know, legalities and stuff."

Sirius raised an eyebrow.  
"Help with legalities? You seem a _tad bit_ young for a lawyer."

Remus laughed.  
"Oh no, I'm sixteen. But my mum's one, so I know some stuff." Honestly, Remus didn’t know that much about ‘legalities', so he doubted he'd be much help, so he didn’t exactly know why he'd offered. He realised he enjoyed the boy's company, and he just wanted to spend time with him—get to know him, even. He hoped Sirius would agree.

Sirius gave Remus another one of those calculating looks. Finally, he agreed.  
"I'd… I'd like that."


End file.
